Page 42 of Duke of Silver
His smile deepened, his grip on her waist tightening ever so slightly. “It is.”
They twirled together, the music swelling around them, but for Elizabeth, it was as if the rest of the room had faded. For a brief, fleeting moment, she forgot everything—the scandal, the reason for their marriage, the carefully constructed walls between them.Here, in Alexander’s arms, she could almost pretend their union was real, that they were like any other couple, enjoying the pleasures of a country ball.
She laughed softly as they moved, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. As the music swelled toward its final notes, Elizabeth felt something unexpected bloom in her chest—a sense of happiness, of contentment. For a moment, she allowed herself to indulge in it, to forget the complications that loomed over them.
But as the dance ended, and Alexander’s hand slipped from hers, the reality of their situation crept back into her mind. Still, she couldn’t dismiss the lingering warmth from their dance, the way he had made her feel.
Perhaps, for tonight, she could let herself enjoy the pretense.
Elizabeth excused herself after a moment to use the retiring room, and she was making her way back to the ballroom when something caught her eye—a familiar figure slipping through a nearby door. It was Alexander. He moved with purpose, his tall frame disappearing into what appeared to be a conservatory with barely a glance behind him.
A prickle of curiosity stirred in her chest.Where could he be going?The ball was still in full swing, and Alexander had never been one to shy away from his duties as host or guest. Something about the way he moved, so swift and deliberate, unsettled her. Without thinking, she followed him.
Elizabeth stepped quietly into the conservatory, the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the glass walls. She moved carefully, her breath catching as she saw him standing not far from her—engaged in conversation with a woman she immediately recognized.
Georgianna.
Elizabeth’s heart clenched painfully in her chest, her pulse quickening as she pressed herself against the doorframe, unwilling to make her presence known. She wasn’t sure why she stayed hidden. Perhaps it was the sudden wave of unease that had gripped her. Something about the way Georgianna stepped closer to him, the way her voice purred through the quiet air, made Elizabeth’s stomach twist.
“I received your letter, Alexander,” she said, her voice low, flirtatious. “I must admit, I wasn’t expecting such… directness from you.”
Elizabeth’s heart thudded painfully against her ribs.A letter?Her mind whirled, her vision narrowing. What letter?
Alexander’s voice, calm and measured, followed. “It was necessary.”
Necessary.Elizabeth’s hands tightened into fists at her sides. What could possibly be necessary between them? Her breath quickened as she strained to listen, the soft tones of their voices curling into the air like poison.
Georgianna laughed softly, the sound sending a shiver down Elizabeth’s spine. “You never change. Always so proper. But I can see right through you, Alexander. You wouldn’t have written to me if there wasn’t more to it. There’s always more.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard, tears already stinging her eyes.More?Was Georgianna insinuating…? Her mind began to spin, piecing together what felt like a cruel puzzle. Had she been blind all along? All those moments of distance, the coldness, the unexplained absences—was this the reason?
Her vision blurred, and she took a shaky step back, unable to hear more. She couldn’t. If she stayed, she might witness something that would shatter the fragile sense of stability she had built over the evening.
The words between them were enough. A letter. More. The undeniable familiarity between them. Her heart broke a little more with each second she remained.
Without another thought, she turned and fled, her shoes barely making a sound on the carpeted floor as she made her way back down the hallway. Tears threatened to spill, her chest tightening with the weight of her hurt. She could hardly breathe.
Her husband was indeed keeping Georgiana as his mistress. The truth, bitter and cold, settled in her chest like a stone. How foolish she had been, to believe that this evening, this fragile happiness, was real.
She stood in front of the refreshment table, her breath hitching. She blinked furiously and picked up a glass of lemonade, raising it to her lips and taking a sip that she barely tasted.
Had it all been a lie?
The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Elizabeth went through the motions—smiling politely, engaging in conversation—but inside, she felt hollow. The joy she had felt earlier, dancing with Alexander, now seemed distant, drowned by the bitter sting of what she had witnessed. Each glance at Georgianna across the ballroom sent another stab of pain through her chest.
Alexander had noticed her growing silence. She felt his gaze on her throughout the remainder of the evening, but she avoided him, not trusting herself to face him after what she had seen.
The carriage ride home was suffocating in its silence. Alexander, sensing her distance, tried to break it.
“You seemed to enjoy yourself earlier,” he began cautiously. “But something’s changed. What is it?”
Elizabeth kept her gaze fixed out of the window, the dark landscape blurring past. Her heart was pounding, the fury simmering just beneath her skin. She clenched her hands in her lap, refusing to answer.How dare he?How dare he act as though nothing had happened, as though he hadn’t just been meeting with Georgianna in secret?
“Elizabeth,” he pressed, his voice more insistent now, “what’s wrong?”
She remained silent, her chest tight with anger and pain. She couldn’t bring herself to speak, not here, not now. Her silence stretched on, and Alexander’s confusion only grew.
When they reached the Manor, Elizabeth barely waited for it to come to a full stop before she bolted from her seat, her heart racing as she hurried into the house. She didn’t care about the propriety of her behavior or the curious glances from the servants. She had to get away, to escape before she exploded with the weight of her emotions.
